You’ve been working hard, killing your ab workouts, and sticking to your meal plan to reduce that pesky body fat. You’ve even skipped those late night food runs with your buddies, but your abs still aren’t showing. What gives? It could be that your body is holding water. That’s right, subcutaneous fluid stored in your cells, causing your skin to have a puffy, inflated look, and ultimately covering any muscle definition you may have earned.

There are a number of factors that cause water retention – too much sodium, supplements, and even dehydration – to name a few. There is good news though, you can naturally help your body get rid of that extra water so that you can reveal those hard-earned abs. Note: flushing excess water to reveal muscle definition will only work if you have a low body fat percentage. If you don’t fall into that category just yet, work on getting there before you blame water weight for hindering your reveal. Check out these tips to help you showcase that six-pack.

1. REDUCE SODIUM

An almost guaranteed way to store extra water is by having a diet high in sodium. The more sodium you intake, the more water your body will hold. Be sure to read nutrition labels and avoid foods that are high in sodium such as processed foods like soups, canned foods, frozen meals, seasonings, and condiments.

2 DRINK MORE WATER

It may be counterintuitive, but you can avoid water retention by increasing the amount of water you drink. The body needs water to flush out our cells, and if the body isn’t getting enough, it will store water until it gets enough. Providing your body with a sufficient amount of water will allow it to perform optimally.

3. SWEAT IT OUT

As we know, sweat is simply water that’s stored in the body. If you have excess water weight, working out hard and sweating will help shed it. Keep in mind that the weight will come back as soon as you rehydrate. With that being said, it’s a good method to use if you have an event coming up and need to shed a little weight.

4. WATCH YOUR SUPPS

Creatine is a common supplement for those that want to add size to their frame — and it’s great for that. Creatine pulls water into the muscle, which increases protein synthesis. While taking creatine, you can expect water weight gain from two to four pounds. If you want to look shredded, you might want to stop taking it at least a week prior.

5. LOSE THE LIQUOR

Alcohol is dehydrating — that may sound like a good thing. However, if your body is dehydrated due to alcohol consumption, it’s more prone to hold onto water from any other source to try and compensate for fluid loss. It’s best to avoid alcohol of any sort if you want well-defined muscles, especially if you’re prepping for an event. You’re better off to save the alcohol consumption for after the event.

6. EAT ASPARAGUS

Little known fact is that asparagus are a natural diuretic. They’re also a great source of fiber as well as vitamins A, C, E and K. When preparing these, make sure you skip adding salt or salted butter.

7. DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE

Cranberry juice is a natural diuretic that will not only flush excess water from your body, but toxins as well. Try to opt for cranberry juice concentrate versus cranberry juice cocktail to avoid unnecessary added sugar.

8. TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN

Lack of certain micronutrients such as vitamin B1 and B6 can lead to unwanted water weight. Be sure to take a multi-vitamin to ensure you’re getting all necessary nutrients to help your body work optimally.

Soak a bandage or a piece of cloth in some apple cider vinegar and apply the compress on your swollen joints or varicose veins. Wrap well. Repeat the remedy every morning and evening. You can also dissolve 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a cup of lukewarm water and drink the liquid every day.

Burdock Root

This traditional herbal remedy is useful in the treatment of arthritis associated conditions, including acute gout attacks.

According to “The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine” burdock root eliminates the toxins in the bloodstream, reduces inflammation and promotes proper excretion of urine which contains uric acid, and this is why it is commonly recommended as an effective folk remedy for gout.

Health experts recommend combining 20-30 drops of burdock root tincture and 9 oz of water 3-4 times a day, and the treatment should last for a few days.

Many people believe that lemon juice makes the body more acidic, but believe it or not, it actually creates an alkaline environment and neutralizes uric acid. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, which is quite important when it comes to decreasing uric acid level.

Parsley is a great herb to use in a salad, however it also makes a highly beneficial tea as well. Regular consumption of parsley tea stimulates the elimination of uric acid buildups in the joints, especially when combined with mulberry juice.

Drink Plenty of Water

When it comes to drinks, water is the best choice if you want to maintain normal level of uric acid. Water stimulates the kidneys to remove toxic buildups and excess uric acid from the body.

Water is so essential to the body, and it processes, the benefits of drinking clean and sufficient water regularly and unbounded. Water can do everything for your body including aiding in digestion and cleansing your body of toxins.

Drinking water all by itself is a way to help flush the body of toxins on a daily basis, but with a few added ingredients you can get even more benefits from it. This is something you can do every day, or as part of a more broad detoxing strategy. Each one of the ingredients listed here will provide slightly different benefits, so be sure to choose according to the particular goal you have.

Lemons and limes are a good source of Vitamin C, which is a very important antioxidant because it helps neutralize free-radicals in the body. Lemons are also good for alkalizing the body as well as aiding in digestion because their make up is very similar to our own digestive enzymes.

Cucumber adds a crisp and refreshing taste to your water, and even add for a nice little snack while drinking. This helps eliminate toxins from the digestive system and is extremely hydrating for the body.

Mint improves the flow of vile and can help with activating salivary glands and digestive enzymes that help absorb the nutrients from your food. Mint is also very calming and soothing and can be used to settle an upset stomach.

Apple cider vinegar is a handy detoxing aid, and it’s good to keep a bottle of it in the cupboard. You can instantly improve the quality of a glass of water by adding a bit of ACV to it. Apple cider vinegar can help balance the Ph balance of the body. It is also wonderful for eliminating toxins and killing bacteria, maintaining a healthy weight and improves overall digestion.

Ginger is also another wonderful remedy for indigestion, cramps, nausea, and gas. It has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-viral root that boosts circulation and may also kill cancer cells.

Cinnamon is another traditional herb that is also anti-fungal and anti-viral and is used to relieve indigestion. It many also be good for circulation, metabolizing fats during digestion, and regulating blood-glucose levels by slowing the time it takes for food to go from the stomach to the small intestine.

Do you hate waking up to the sound of the alarm clock? Is the first thing you do checking your phone, calendar, the list of to-do daily things, and social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram?

You are stuck in this morning routine, and then you wonder why your life is not any better? Why can’t you just wake up like in those movies and do productive things, rather than staring at another Instagram photo?

Let’s check what you should instead do.

Wake up Early!

Your alarm clock may go off at 6:30 on days when you have to go to work, but on weekends you just want to get as much sleep as possible, because you have been working all week and it’s your legitimate right to sleep until lunchtime. Right?

Wrong! You should rise early every single day. It is something successful people do.

You have all the day to complete your tasks, and be productive. If you want to sleep more, you should go earlier to bed, and get the full 8-hour sleep, rather than sleeping late, and waking up late, even with 10 or more hours of sleep. That will only cause more fatigue, and dullness.

And do you know what they say? One key to success is having lunch at that time of the day when other people are having their breakfast.

Smile!

And that “everyone” could not be more right. You have to smile, you need to smile, for yourself.

If you frown and get angry at things, and stay sad, you will not improve things, you will not solve any problem. Not that the problem will be magically solved when you are smiling.

But the fact is, you will be more optimistic and you will approach the problem in a better way.

If you are tired, bored, sad, or not feeling at your best, try to curve your lips as if you are smiling. Fake it till you make it, baby! When you fake a smile, in a couple of seconds, it turns into a real smile, and brightens up the day.

Have a cup of coffee!

Coffee is the secret weapon behind creation, imagination, ideas.

Coffee also helps to wake up, and not feel so puffy, as your morning eyes. But, do not drink coffee before bed, as it might leave you sleepless. Consuming coffee makes it less likely for you to get diabetes type 1 and 2, as well as dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. It is an immune system booster, and also helps with muscle pain.

Drink water and green tea! A lot!

Water has been called the elixir of life.

When combined with green tea, it is the best choice.

Both of them will keep you hydrated, at your best. Your skin will glow, acne will not be a problem.

They will keep you detoxified and not tired at all. Green tea will also boost your metabolism and help with weight control, and better digestion. It lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. Green tea has antioxidants, it will keep your breath fresh, and help with a healthy skin, healthy hair, and fight some seasonal allergies.

What’s there not to love about that?

Photo: collective-education.com

Dry brush your skin!

Find some brushes that will not rip your skin, and find a nice scrub that you are not allergic to.

Use them. Every day if you can.

Dry brushing your skin, removes the dead cells, bringing glow and shine to the skin. It does look younger after the massage, which you will do with small circles. Do not go too hard, you will leave bruises on your skin, and we do not want that.

Dry brushing also helps in blood circulation. And it does help with cellulite, every woman’s nightmare.

Cover up on lotion!

After the dry brushing process, a body lotion is a must. The pores are open, the skin is hot, and it needs lotion to cool down and close the pores. It will also be well absorbed.

Wear lotion all over the body. Do not move your hand too fast on the skin.

Make it at a slow pace, enjoying your skin, your body curves. Enjoy the fact that the lotion spreads so easy, and makes your skin look heavenly soft and shiny and healthy.

The process of covering your body in lotion is also a self-appreciation and self-loving process. You soon will realize you should do it more often, and after a while it will become an everyday routine, one that you will not want to skip.

Water and Salt Regulate Your Body Temperature.

You may not always be thinking about water and salt; however, your body thinks of it. All your cells are screaming for it because your body is 70% water, and your brain contains more water. On average, you have about 8 to 10 tablespoons of salt within you! Water and salt form the basis of blood and lymph, lubricates joints and organs, regulates body temperature, preserves muscles and keeps your skin looking young. Adequately, maintain yourself, by making sure you get the right amount of oxygen, water, salt, potassium, exercise and food. No one can live without these!

When you submerge a prune in water, its plumpness expands, and it is divine and tasty. Your body also requires lots of water to maintain health because it eliminates 2.5 to 4 quarts of water a day through breathing, perspiration and excretion. Your body harbors approximately 50 quarts of water in total. When your water reserves are not adequately replenished throughout the day you quickly begin to suffer from the symptoms of dehydration. You may suddenly get a headache or feel hungry or thirsty. It is not advisable to wait until you feel eager to get a drink of water because your organs will have already begun to suffer unnecessary stress and started harboring water, creating edema.

You need water to flush toxins from your body to enjoy a healthy kick! If your urine is dark yellow, brown or orange, you are becoming dehydrated. It’s better if the color of your urine is lighter, yellow or clear. Furthermore, your stools should also be soft and light brown in color. If you have an arduous time in passing bowls that are odorous, then you seriously need more water.

Dehydration is a grave condition because it seriously stresses all your organ systems and sets you up for the manifestation of disease. A natural cure is to drink more water throughout the day and not wait until you are thirsty. Drink at least half your body weight in ounces. Drink more water if you’re involved in moderate or vigorous exercise! Every six ounces of caffeine or alcoholic drink will cause dehydration. Since they’re considered diuretics. You’ll need to increase the amount of water you drink to an additional ten to twelve ounces to feel re-hydrated after a cup of coffee or alcohol.

Every cell of your body requires water, and it desperately needs real salt to push the water into your cells. Understand not all salts are equal today. Regular table salt sold in the supermarkets creates oxidative stress, because they’re extremely bleached, and also pumped with anti-caking agents like aluminum. Aluminum toxicity does cause Alzheimer’s disease. Cheap table salt is also robbed of all its essential minerals, and essence of life. It does not create equilibrium throughout your body, except cause confusion and disease instead. So, it’s better to avoid such salts. Make sure you don’t oversalt.

Why would you take in so much salt? Unless you are craving it for some reason or another! This can cause high blood pressure and a headache for the doctor that is treating you, because you can easily cure this ailment by drinking more water with a little less salt. The high blood pressure medications simply cause you to urinate when you don’t feel thirsty anymore. This also causes dizziness. Now, who wants to fall and loose their balance. No one right! This has been my experience based on the studies I have done regarding High Blood Pressure. Therefore, carry one with caution.

The Benefits of Drinking Warm Water & Celtic Sea Salt

Natural salt is not dry or white, but normally a little gray and feels damp. An excellent unrefined sea salt is Celtic Sea Salt from a pristine region in France. This unrefined sea salt contains about eighty natural minerals that your body needs. The taste satisfies with a tangy savor. It should definitely be your natural choice for a healthy lifestyle.

Salt Helps You Breathe too

Salt is the catalyst that forces the water into your cells. Salt is also the natural environment outside your cells and water is the natural environment inside your cells. Salt acts as the electrical component that keeps your organs functioning at peak efficiency! Without water and salt, you wouldn’t be able to correctly digest your food or have a bowl movement, nor have the energy to breathe at all.

Your Body’s Cry for Water

Dr. Batmanghelidj states in his book “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water;” water and salt cures and prevents asthma. You can reverse adult-onset-diabetes in its’ early stages by consuming more water with the right salt. The salt you should be eating is not the common table salt; it’s rather organic sea salt that is composed of minerals in the right proportion.

You Can’t Live Without Salt!

Water and salt are such a pure and natural combination, yet extremely critical in sustaining all your life processes. You can’t live without it!

Water and salt are essential to your brain cells. Salt extracts excess acidity from your brain cells and from the cells in your body. Water and salt balance the sugar levels in your blood. It’s used as a powerhouse in generating the energy needed by your cells.

Salt is the perfect catalyst that makes you absorb the nutrients in food through your intestinal tract. Salt is also vital for the clearance of mucus, and oppressive phlegm. Salt makes the structure of your bone’s firm, prevents muscle cramps and regulates your sleep, including spicing up your libido and preventing varicose veins. Eating enough salt will reduce a double chin if you have an unsightly one.

Eat Celtic Sea Salt Every Day

Conventional medicine downgrades the need for water and salt in lieu of pushing medication to treat symptoms of dehydration and salt distress. When an ordinary cure would be to increase water intake with unrefined sea salt in food.

Because water is so essential to the body and its processes, the benefits of drinking clean and sufficient water regularly are unbounded. In order to ensure that you are getting enough water, it is a good idea to carry a water bottle with you when you are on-the-go. Not only will this remind you to drink more water, but it will also give you an opportunity to have clean, filtered water at your fingertips no matter where you are.

I prefer to drink from a glass water bottle so that no chemicals from plastic water bottles leech into my water (namely Dioxin and BPA). Plastic water bottles are especially not good when left in a hot car/atmosphere. I know there are many different kinds of plastic, but I just decide to go glass to avoid any chemicals in plastic altogether. This Lifefactory water bottle is my favorite because it has the silicone sleeve and is easy to carry around. I also prefer to drink fluoride-free water and do so by using my Clearly Filtered water pitcher. Although fluoride is said to help with tooth decay, it is toxic and we may receive too much of it, which may cause problems for our body (specifically thyroid).

I’d also like to note that I do not put all seven things from the list below in my water at one time. I guess you could, but it might taste a little funky. I usually just do 1-3 things depending on what I have or what I think would go good together. I like putting lemon juice and apple cider vinegar (sometimes with ginger too), cloves and mint leaves, lime juice and cucumber, or lemon juice and cinnamon together.

1. Freshly-Squeezed Lemon or Lime Juice

Lemons and limes are a good source of Vitamin C, which is a very important antioxidant because it helps neutralize free radicals in the body. Lemons and limes are also good for alkalizing and cleansing the body as well as aiding in digestion because their make up is very similar to our own digestive enzymes. I like to squeeze about a half of a lemon or lime in my water bottle.

2. Fresh Mint Leaves

I have a spearmint plant out in the backyard that is growing like crazy so I started adding them to my water bottle. Mint leaves can also be grown inside as well in a pot by the windowsill. Mint improves the flow of bile and can help with activating salivary glands and digestive enzymes that help absorb the nutrients from your food. It is also a calming and soothing herb that can be used to settle an upset stomach.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Over the summer, I was living on Mackinac Island and got a cold. I didn’t have any natural remedies with me so I looked for some natural foods to help me feel better. I headed to the tiny market and found some Bragg’s ACV. I’ve read about many health benefits of consuming ACV and started adding a couple tablespoons to my water. I liked it so much that I started adding it to the water bottle that I took to work almost everyday! Even though it is normally bitter, it started tasting almost sweet in time, and I even craved it periodically as I kept drinking it.

I still love regularly adding it to my water because it is said to help with eliminating toxins and killing bacteria, maintaining a healthy weight, and improving digestion overall. And just like lemons and limes, ACV can also help balance the PH in your body. I like to get the unfiltered, organic ACV with the ‘mother’; a great one is made by Bragg’s.

4. Cloves

In addition to stimulating digestion, cloves can also be used for ailments of the digestive system and are thought to have anti-parasitic properties. I place about 3-5 whole cloves in my water and let them sit in there to flavor the water. When I’m finished with the water, I just eat the cloves because they have many healing properties (beware, they’re pretty hot!).

5. Ginger Root

Another one for stimulating the flow of digestive juices! Ginger is also another wonderful remedy for indigestion, cramps, nausea and gas that has been used traditionally as a medicine for thousands of years. It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-viral root that boosts circulation and may also kill cancer cells! I dice up about a thumb-sized amount of ginger and add it to my water. Like the cloves, I eat it at the end, but it is also very hot!

6. Cucumber Slices

Cucumbers add a nice fresh taste to your water, and can be eaten while drinking the water (because they float!) to help eliminate toxins from the digestive system and continue to hydrate the body. They not only contain antioxidants and fiber, but they may also help with the production of insulin in the pancreas. I like to cut the slices into quarters so I can eat them easily as I am drinking my water.

7. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is another traditional herb that also anti-fungal and anti-viral and is used to relieve indigestion. It may also help with circulation, metabolizing fats during digestion, and regulating blood-glucose levels by slowing the time it takes for food to go from the stomach to the small intestine. Place a small amount of a cinnamon stick in your water and let it flavor the water just like you would with the cloves.